Mariani, who is a member of the IJF Hall Of Fame, was the first Italian to win a judo Olympic medal, at the Montreal Olympics in 1976, subsequently taking part in multiple European and world championships.
He played a key role in the spread of judo in his country. After his retirement, from 2005 he held the position of technical commissioner of the Italian national judo team for eight years, training and guiding new talents to transform them into high-level athletes, capable of winning Olympic gold medals.
In 2018, he entered politics and he worked hard to spread the sport throughout Italy. Felice Mariani helped promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and Italy, not only by improving competition techniques, but also by spreading correct judo education, emphasising the beauty of technique, the importance of training, respect and etiquette.
The recognition of the Minister of Foreign Affairs contributes to the advancement of friendly relations between Japan and various foreign countries.